Pretty Little Reject
by NicLiztheArtist
Summary: When Tiffany Webb comes to Gotham for business, she expects to work, meet up with old friends and find cures for diseases, not befriending notorious villains by daylight and fight against the Rouge Gallery as an honorary batfamily member by moonlight. But, working at Arkham and dating Red Hood will do that to you. Now, just to avoid going into organ rejection.
1. Chapter 1: Business in Gotham

_A new story I have been working on, Updates every Sunday after Publishing._

I step off the plane and a sigh escapes my ruby lips. The dark clouds in the sky threaten rain, and a menacing, sharp skyline juts out of the horizon. Another breath and I walk down the steps to the runway to where an unmarked car waited for me.

"Good morning Miss Webb, we just have a short drive before we reach your destination." The driver greets as he opens the door for me and I catch a look at myself in the reflection of the window. I look tired, and that will never do. I am here on business for my father, and I must be presentable.

I smooth my hair and touch up under my eyes to make the dark circles disappear as I ride down a winding and secluded path, the skyline disappearing in and out of trees.

I pick dander off my blouse as we pull into a private drive, gates closing behind us.

I make sure my tights are properly attached to my garters as we stop and the driver turns off the engine.

I re-apply my lipstick as the driver opens the door and I straighten my skirt as I stand.

I gaze onto the manor before me, noting the perfectly kept lawn and clean house, the perfect picture of sophistication- wait.

There is a football tucked under a hedge and a handle bar of a bike peaking around the side of the garage.

A smile creeps across my lips. This is not a house; it is a home.

Something I never had.

My smile drops briefly before I put it back in place.

The door to the home opens, and a well-dressed man steps out, his blue eyes greeting my brown ones warmly.

"Good Morning, Miss Webb, thank you for coming out to meet me at my home today, my youngest is not feeling well and his brothers are unable to stay with him at the moment. It is very nice to see you again, you have grown to be a beautiful young lady." He grabs my hand when I am close enough, helping me up the stairs then kissing my hand politely.

"It is I who should be thanking you, Mr. Wayne, your home is wonderful and obviously that, a home," I reply, motioning the football and he gives an exasperated sigh.

"I thought I told them to clean up, oh well, why don't you come inside, and we can discuss the meanings of your father's business. How is your father, by the way?" The door closed behind us with a surprisingly quiet thud, and Bruce Wayne leads me inside to a home that shows more evidence of the boys who live here. The floors are scratched and scuffed, there are dents in the walls, and random shoes shoved into corners.

"He is doing very well, he is very sorry he could not make it himself, he had an emergency at the branch in Milan, Mr. Wayne, he was loving the idea of seeing an old friend again."

"Yes, it is very unfortunate, but I do get to see his lovely daughter. Unfortunately, Dick and Jason are away at the moment, but I'm sure you will see them soon." He chuckles as he leads me into the study. The driver is there with tea and cookies for us. I must have a slightly quizzical look on my face because Bruce chuckles and introduces me.

"Miss Webb, this is Alfred. He runs the household; I just make the money."

"It's very nice to meet you, Alfred, thank you for picking me up at the airport, you must be very busy," I say, giving him a polite nod.

"It was my pleasure, Miss. Would you like some tea?" He asks as he begins to serve us and Bruce gets his papers in order.

"Yes please, milk and honey in mine, if you don't mind," I reply, settling myself in the large chair Bruce waves for me to sit in. I sink in and suddenly sit back up with a soft 'oh!'. I reach behind myself and pull out a metal pole about 16 inches long.

Bruce sighs and takes it from me. "I'm sorry, it seems the boys left things lying around again."

I giggle slightly, accepting my tea from Alfred with a nod and a smile.

"It wouldn't be home without reminders that people live here, Sir."

"That is true, but enough small talk, for now, time to get to business." He puts his paper into a neat pile and looks into my eyes.

"Yes sir, my father would like to propose a mutual partnership of one of his minor area and one of yours," I say, switching into business mode, pulling papers out of my briefcase.

"Which area does he have in mind, Miss Webb?"

"The Medical Research Field, Sir. My father feels that with your business' technology, and of our shared leading field of experts we can find the cures for almost any disease, especially the ones that can fatally affect infants." I say, and Bruce's eyes soften.

"That sounds like a great idea, let's draw up some paperwork," Bruce replies before turning to his computer. I push a lock of brown hair out of my face.

We talk about how the companies should proceed with the partnership until we hear a knock on the door. We turn to it as it slowly opens and an 11-year-old boy peeks his head around the entrance, his face pale and his eyes tired.

"Sorry to interrupt father, but I was wondering if Pennyworth could make me some soup, I'm feeling hungry."

"It's alright Damian, we were just finishing up, why don't we all stop for lunch?" He replies, standing and walking around his desk. I stand and follow him out the door.

As I walk down the hallway, I notice that the boy is in his pajamas, batman ones, and I smile.

"Hello, my name is Tiffany Webb, but you can call me Tiff," I say, walking beside him. He nods at me.

"I'm Damian, the blood son."

"Blood? Ah, yes, your brothers are adopted. Older aren't they? I use to play with Jason and Dick when we were younger, while our dad talked business. We got kicked out of quite a few arcades." He nods again.

"Why are you doing business with my father? You can't be older the Todd, and even Grayson stays out of that stuff." Damian says, looking me over with a critical eye. I waved my hand at him in a flippant way.

"I do what I have too, and this project is personal to me. There are many diseases that need a cure, especially ones that fatally affect infants." And Damian gives me a quizzical look.

"I was born with a liver disease, Biliary Atresia, I had to get a liver transplant when I was a year and a half old, and at any moment, my new liver can reject me. I take anti-rejection meds to try to keep that from happening." I explain, lifting my blouse to show the crescent shaped scar on my lower abdomen.

Damian looks at it, then traces it lightly with a finger. My muscles flex slightly at the light touch.

"This happened when you were a baby? Why? You had done nothing yet. Why did the world decide to punish you?" He looked confused and outraged, I smiled softly.

"So I could live and save others. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, but those good people grow strong to keep it from happening to others." I reply, and Damian nods like he understands. I just didn't know how well he really did understand, and I didn't see Bruce watching me carefully, then nod.

Our lunch consists of soup and sandwiches, and I explain more to Damian about the liver disease I had and the many other diseases I want to cure, and when I finish, both father and son walk me out.

"Are you staying in Gotham for a while, Miss Webb?" Bruce asks as he shakes my hand. I nod.

"Yes Sir, my father made me the head of this project, and I want it based in Gotham, I will be staying at a hotel in the city until I find an apartment. I also got a job as an intern at Arkham. I'm going to be studying the inmates with unique abilities, and see if we could utilize the outlier genes to create cures and treatments for dangerous diseases." I reply, then shaking Damian's hand.

"I see, well, if you need anything, you are always welcome to visit. I know how hard it is for a 20-year-old to live on their own. I've had 2 already." Bruce replies and I giggle.

"Careful, Mr. Wayne, I may take you up on that." And with that, I get in the car and Alfred takes me to my hotel. What I don't see is 3 figures drop from the roof to the porch, all watching me.

"She's like us."

"Yeah, she is, but she doesn't have to hide behind a mask to do what's right."

"She gets to save people, and be known for it.".

"We are going to have to protect her, too many people here will hurt her. Especially if she works at Arkham."

"Yes, we are." The Batfamily walked inside the house, thunder clapped and the skies opened.


	2. Chapter 2: Dinner with the Waynes

A few days later, I'm deciding what I want for dinner when I get a knock on the door and I open it to find a boy about 17 with blue eyes and black hair standing there.

"Hi, I'm Tim Drake-Wayne. My dad is inviting you to come have dinner with us tonight." He says, fidgeting as he speaks. I smile.

"That sounds great, let me get some shoes on." I let him into my messy hotel room and dig for my shoes under my bed.

"You've only been here 3 days…." He says, looking around my room, and I look around too. Clothes are strewn over furniture and the floor, junk food wrappers are everywhere, and the bed is a nest of blankets and electronics. The only thing that is neat is the area I keep my meds.

"So? I wasn't well packed, to begin with, the suitcase kind of exploded when I opened it." I reply, shrugging, grabbing my purse and putting my meds in it as we leave.

He shows me to a sleek black motorcycle that I didn't recognize and hands me a helmet. I zip up the leather jacket I had on, and hike my ruby red skirt up to my thighs, but below my tattoo before swinging a black 'over the knee' sock covered leg over. I'm glad I put on my combat boots. Tim climbs on in front of me after raising an eyebrow at me. "Jason's gonna like you."

"That's good, right?" I ask, wondering who Jason grew up to be, after all, I had a small crush on him when we were younger.

"Depends. Hold on." He replies before speeding off, effectively cutting off conversation for the next 20 minutes. The wind whipped my hair around my head, as I watched the scenery go by, every now and then, Tim would take a sharp turn that made me have to hold on a little tighter but I kept balance, and I never yelled, and we soon make it to the Manor.

The house was in the same state it was in last time I was here, but, now there were two other motorcycles out front. One blue Ninja and one red Harley Davidson.

Tim climbs off the bike and helps me off as the front door opens, and another young man, slightly older than me, comes out. I hand Tim the helmet when he reaches for it, and shake out my hair.

"Good! You came! I'm sure you remember me, Tiff." He greets, pulling me into short a hug I gladly return. I smile, "Yes I do, Dick, I see growing up did wonders for you."

"What do you mean, I always looked as good as this."

"No, I distinctly remember you having a zit right in the middle of your forehead the size of a penny."

Both boys laugh and lead me inside, to the living room, where Bruce and Damian were sitting, while another man about my age in a leather jacket was wrestling with a Great Dane on the floor. The Dane was winning. Damian spots me and nods politely.

"Hello, Tiffany." Bruce greets and Jason looks up at me, shoving the dog off of him.

"Tiff! How are you?" Jason stands walking over to give me a big hug, slightly picking up my 5'5" frame, we were always close when we were young, even keeping in contact with each other for a while. He smelled like leather and old spice.

"I'm good! I start at Arkham tomorrow, so I'm a bit nervous, but as long as we stay on different sides of the glass, I'll be fine. You think if I take everyone cookies, they'll kill me last?" I joked, slightly serious, though. The Wayne's chuckle, and Dick nods.

"Yeah, probably. Harley would love you for about 3 days, the rest would at least consider not killing you if you did."

"I'm going to do it! I'm going to take them cookies! Mr. Alfred, the boys always brag about your cookies, can you help me make them?" I ask, looking over at the elderly man, a slightly pleading look on my face.

"Please, just call me Alfred, young miss, and I would be delighted to help you, but after dinner, though, because dinner is served." We made our way into the dining room, and I kind of waited to sit, until the boys moved to their chairs, but Dick put a hand on my back and guided me to a chair in-between Jason and Damian. There was also a chair in-between Dick and Tim, but it was unset and empty.

"Babs normally sits here, but she isn't in town at the moment. Stephanie, Tim's…..girlfriend this week right? Sits next to him, and our sister Cas, Bruce adopted her about…..4? years ago, sits next to Dami when she's in town." Dick explains when he sees me looking at the empty chairs questionably.

"And there is always a space between Jason and Damian because they will kill each other if we don't have one," Tim says as he takes a bit of the food Alfred has served as they talked. I laugh, but I could tell the statement might be slightly true, just not the killing part. I think.

Jason takes my plate from me and fills it with food, while Damian passes me a basket of roles. I smile at both.

"Thank you. It looks amazing, Alfred." I remark as he moves about the room, filling drinking glasses with water.

"Thank you, Miss Tiffany. I hope it tastes as good as it looks." He replied, making Dick respond saying it always taste amazing. He was right, it tasted delicious, as we ate we made small talk, mainly Tim and Damian asking me questions, some of which Dick and Jason decided their input was needed. It was not, but made for fun conversation anyway.

During dessert, we got onto the topic of relationships.

"So, Tiff, anyone lucky enough to be involved with you?" Dick asked, wiggling his eyebrows weirdly. I laugh at his antics, then answer the question.

"No, not anymore. I was with someone when I before I decided to move here. They weren't really supportive of my decision to work with psychopaths at Arkham. But oh well, I have my life figured out and someone who doesn't support my decisions is not welcomed in it. I mean, they did everything short of threatening me with locking me in the basement when I said I was leaving, and that was the final straw. Looking back, they always were a little controlling, but hey, I can take care of myself, dad didn't make me take self-defense lessons since I could walk for nothing."

"That's kind of extreme. Are you sure they won't try to take you back?" Tim asked, fork halfway raised to his mouth. I just shrugged while Jason snorted, and Dick chuckled.

"Timmy boy, when we were twelve, this chick could kick our butts. I have no doubt that her partner won't be able to take her if she didn't want to go. Besides, she has us now. We will just hunt them down and take her back." Jason replied, having to dodge my fork, only proving his point.

I missed Damian raising an eyebrow at a Bruce, and Bruce's nod back.

The conversation continued for a while, jumping from topic to topic until Alfred told me he was ready to help me bake cookies for the inmates. We all excused ourselves from the table, and I followed Alfred to the kitchen, Jason trailed along behind me. We made small talk and caught up while Alfred helped me measure and mix the cookie dough, then left me with Jason and the final instructions while he took care of other things in the house. Jason just watched Alfred leave, and then he asked the big question.

"So, any luck finding an apartment?" Jason asked as he sat on the counter, eating some of the cookie dough, I slap his hand away.

"No, but I'm working on it. Do you live on your own right? Is your apartment building needing a new tenant?" I reply as I put the batter for the cookies onto cookie sheets.

"I don't know; I'll look into it for you. Thought Bruce would most likely let you stay here."

"Oh no, I couldn't do that. I'll get my own place in a bit. Don't worry about me." I waved him off. He laughed in exasperation.

"If I don't worry about you, who will? Daddy dearest? We both know how that goes, you go into rejection, he's in another country before you are even checked into the hospital." I twirled around, my hands on my hips.

"Low blow there Todd. Speaking of worry, did you know I worried about you when I heard you ran away? Why did you do that anyways? I thought you liked it here and loved Bruce and Dick." He immediately looked enraged, but then deflated into regret.

"I was being stupid during that time. I thought I got some info on my mom, and Bruce didn't want me looking into it, believing it was a trap. It was a trap, and I got hurt and had to spend some time resting. I came home, though. I came home."

I deflated as well and hugged him. "I came to visit once while you were gone, and Bruce and Dick looked so positively devastated that all I could do was allow Dick to cry on me as we watched your favorite movies. Please don't leave your family again."

"I won't." He mumbled into my shoulder, then lifted his head. "Hey, why don't you come live with me. I could use a roommate."

"What?" I gave a startled laugh. "Really?"

"Yeah, why not? Very few people like renting to people who work at Arkham, death rate and all, and then you can keep an eye on me, and my family has you in reaching distance at all times. You know how protective we are of our own."

"Let me think about it, okay? I'll let you know what I decide." I reply, and the buzzer for the cookies goes off. Jason helps me pull them from the oven, and I stop to take my meds, and then he helps me package them as they cool.

"Let's go join everyone in the living room. I bet they are watching a movie." Jason says, pulling me by the arm to the living room as I balance 3 containers of cookies. They weren't watching a movie but the news, apparently there was an Arkham Breakout.

"Well then, guess I won't be needing all these cookies," I say to break the tension building in the room. Dick gave a chuckle.

"Nah, I bet they will all be back in by tomorrow morning, The Batfamily has grown very extensive. Just greet them at the door with the cookies."

"But we should get you back to your hotel so you can get some sleep before you get to meet those crazies tomorrow," Bruce says as he goes to lead me to the door.

"I'll take her. I have to get to work anyways." Jason volunteers, grabbing his keys.

"Oh? Where do you work Jason?" I ask, interested, as I grabbed my purse.

"I work at a bar as a bouncer/bartender when they need me too. The ladies love me you know." We make our way to the door, and the rest of the Wayne family bids me goodnight.

Jason walked me to the red Harley and puts the cookies in the saddlebag, before helping me onto the bike, and settling himself in front of me. I put my hand on his hips, and he speeds off. I rest my head against his back, taking in his smell of leather and old spice again, being able to feign tiredness if he questioned me.

We got back to my hotel quickly and he walked me back up to my room.

"Have a good day tomorrow. Stay safe." He says, and brings me into another hug. I nod.

"You too Jason." And with that, I step into my hotel room and close the door.

What I don't see is Jason standing there a second and then walking quickly down the hallway, hand to his ear. "She's safe. I'm on my way now. Hood out."


	3. Chapter 3: Welcome to the Madhouse

I woke the next morning to the sound of my 4 am alarm, my arm blindly searching for it in the dark of my room. I groaned as I sat up and switched on the lamp next to me. My room was still quite the mess, and I thought back on Jason's offer. I mean, I would have a place that I could cook, and call my own. Only pay half rent and someone that would know how to help me should anything happen. Plus the closer we got, the more possibilities…

I shook the last thought out of my head, I had just gotten out of a relationship after all, and rolled, quite literally, out of my bed and onto my feet. Shuffling towards the bathroom I pop my medication and I grab a bra and panty set and laid them on the chair near the blouse and pencil skirt I hung up when I arrived.

In the bathroom, as the water heats up for my shower, I check my reflection in the mirror. My dull brown eyes look tired as always, but that just comes with having to deal with a foreign organ that your body doesn't like.

After a quick shower, I wrap my hair in a towel turban and dry off, then wrapped my body with my towel, and stepped out of my steam filled bathroom into the main room to get ready.

I put on the black lace bra and panty, as well as my stockings and garters, then sat in front of the desk made vanity to put on my makeup. Foundation, powder, contour, eyebrows, eyes, blush, and lips all go on in that exact order, only taking my practiced hands 20 minutes, then goes on the blouse and skirt.

I stop and take a breath, checking time. My cell phone glowed the numbers 4:40 at me, and I quickly finished drying my hair, pulling it into a tight bun. Purse gets packed, shoes go on, and cookies are in hand when I leave my hotel room at 5:10, and my cab is waiting for me outside at 5:15 to drive me to Arkham to arrive to knock on the director's door at 6 am.

"Come in!" An older, masculine voice calls, and I open the door and step into the room. The sight of a slightly rounded older gentleman working on paperwork meets me, and he soon looks up at me.

"Ah, Miss Webb I presume?" He stands to shake my hand. I step forward to meet him, a smile on my lips.

"Yes sir, thank you for allowing me to intern here at Arkham. I've read many dissertations on the patients here, and I can't wait to conduct some minor studies of my own." I sit in the chair he waves me too.

"Of course, I would never get in the way of those willing to study, just don't turn out like Miss Quinn." He jokes then spots my containers of cookies. "Are those cookies…?"

"Yes sir, a friend of mine suggested to bring them in hope that they will kill me last in the event of a breakout." I laugh, offering him one. He chuckles good-naturedly in return and takes a cookie.

"You know, that may just do the trick for a few of those here, but back to business. I am going to start you off with Miss Quinn when she gets back, as she is the most normal patient we have here and was once in the same boat as you, and in moments of clarity can be very helpful. We will slowly work you up the ladder of our residence. You will not be going near the Joker for quite a while, and never without suitable company. …. Ah, it looks like Red Hood is bringing in Harley Quinn now, so if you will follow me." The director stands, and I follow him out the door.

We meet Red Hood and Harley Quinn in the main hallway.

"Hiya director! I'm hoooome~" Harley sing songs, then spots me. "Oooh, who's this? Are you replacing me? I thought I was your favorite psychiatrist."

I smile at her pout, "Oh no, Miss Quinn, I'm not a psychiatrist, but a physician. I'll be studying the differences of the residences body types against those who do not reside here."

"You mean the freaks and the crazies against the normal people."

"You said in not me Miss Quinn. You are the first I've been assigned too, but before we begin, would you like a cookie?" I hold the cookie container to Harley, and she lit up like the Fourth of July. She took a cookie and moaned at the first bite.

"You're good, kid. I like you. I'll keep you safe here. Meet me at my cell in 10 minutes, and I'll let you look at me." And with that, Harley is escorted to her cell by 3 armed guards and a second cookie in hand. As I watch her go, a gloved hand grabs a cookie and I turn my head to see Red Hood eating a cookie with a smirk playing on his lips, his helmet held loosely under his arm, a red domino mask covering his eyes.

"Yummy, though they don't taste quite as good as you look." He flirts, bringing a light blush to my cheeks. I clear my throat and look towards the door, where I see Robin waiting.

"Looks like you still have work to do Mr. Hood, just like I do. Hope I don't see you too often." I reply, composing myself, I wave at both him and Robin, turn on my heel and walk away, feeling his eyes burning into my back as I do so.

"Are you sure you don't want company; we don't want you getting hurt now." I hear him call to me.

"I assure you, I will be perfectly fine, Mr. Hood. Have a good day."

5 minutes later, I arrive at Harley Quinn's cell and see her patiently waiting on her bed.

"Hello, my name is Tiffany Webb, I am ready to begin when you are, Miss Quinn."

"Call me Harley! Everyone does! To give ya a quick rundown, I'm pretty normal, but Red gave me something to make me stronger, faster, and an immunity to most venoms and poisons, including Mistah J's laughing gas." I note all this down, nodding.

"That is absolutely amazing Harley, I was wondering if you would mind if I took a blood sample to study if the serum Poison Ivy gave you created any 'oddities' in your red and white blood cells?"

"I don't got a problem with that. What are you doin' all this research for?" She holds out her arm and I explain while I take a sample.

"Well I would love to say it's all for curiosities sake, but as an infant, I was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia, a liver disease, and I had to have a transplant before I was even a year old. A part of me is hoping that in one of the genes what gives you all your amazing abilities, is a cure. Or at least a cure for any infant disease."

Harley frowns at me.

"You're on anti-rejection medication that has to be taken at certain times, correct? And you chose to work at Arkham? Well, you are certainly lucky that most of these villains are doctors, and till take care of ya if a riot starts."

"That's reassuring, Harley. It really is, knowing that the inmates still somewhat follow the oath they took to not intentionally harm the sick."

"We have weird morals. But you know, I'm a psychiatrist, if you even need to talk, I got ya."

"Thank you Harley, I have some great understanding friends, but I'll keep that in mind. I think we are done for today. I'm going to be monitoring that progress of your body's healing, so if you could do me a favor and try not to pick at anything or do anything that alters the natural healing process, that would be fantastic."

I pack up my stuff and make to leave the cell.

"Bye Tiff! Have a good day! Swing by the other rouges and give them cookies. Start on their good side! Avoid Mistah J!"

After a quick meet-and-greet with the rest of the rouge gallery, giving them all cookies and explaining what I was doing and what my goal was, I finish paperwork in the office provided for me, and set off to take Harley's blood sample to Wayne Labs.

I walk out the front of Arkham, after going through many security protocols, and see Jason leaning against a sleek red sports car.

"And what are you doing here?"

"Though a pretty lady like you would want to have a personal tour of town on our way to Wayne Labs. Bruce assembled a team of high ranking specialist to look over the project." He holds open the door for the passenger's side for me. Sliding into the seat, I raise an eyebrow.

"And just how did you know what time I would be leaving today?"

"I have my ways, and simple 'adult job logic' dictates that when you start work at 6 am you probably leave about 4." Jason then shuts the door, before climbing into the driver's seat and taking off. I start digging in my purse for my medication and Jason hands me an open water bottle with a knowing look. I just give a small smile and take my meds.

"You still know the timing?"

"I know you, and that you have to take it every twelve hours. You take it when you first wake up, and you are an early riser, so you wake at 4 or 5 am, and so you have to take your medication about 4 or 5 in the afternoon."

Silence fill the car before he stops at a red light and turns to me.

"Have you thought about moving in with me?"

"I have."

"And?"

"I mean, it's really logical and you know how to take of me better than my own father does, and then your family, which sees me as family, can reach me easily, and all that but…."

"But what?"

"I don't know. Let me think on it a little bit longer? You know I can't stand rushing into things without planning."

"You know, one day, I'm going to cure you of that. You are going to jump into something without thinking, without planning, and you are going to enjoy it. I promise you, it will happen."

"Good luck with that, Jason." He just gives a chuckle and begins driving again.

"Come on princess, let's get the crazy blood to the lab, you have a lot of research ahead of you."

"You'll help, right?"

"I don't know the first thing about blood, but I'll do what I can." For Jason, doing what he could was normally just making sure I ate, slept, and took my med. I just smile in thanks, before looking over my notes some more.

After turning over the sample to the Lab, and getting it started on processing, Jason turns to me again.

"Dinner?"

"Take out."

"Beef Broccoli?"

"With fried rice."

"Ridge overlooking Gotham?"

I just smile at him, and less than two hours later, Jason and I are sitting on the hood of the car. I'm slowly picking through the last of my rice watching the sunset over the skyline, and counting the stars as they appear one by one.

"You have a way with making people appreciate life, Tiff."

"Well, few people are so intimately aware of the extent of their mortality. Life relying on meds can do this too ya."

"I've missed you, Diamond Eyes."

"I've missed you too, Jaybird."


	4. Chapter 4: Not Another Nightmare

Four weeks later, I'm dropping my suitcase on the spare bed in Jason's apartment. My bed in our apartment. That's weird. Resolving to unpack and decorate the room Jason set up for me later, I walk into the living room to see Tim and Dick arriving with a pizza Tim hand me a file, and grabs a slice, and Jason hands me a plate with two slices on it, before following me with a glass of water.

"Harley Quinn's blood work is done, there is the full report." I settle myself on the couch, balancing the plate on my knee, Jason setting the water on the coffee table in front of me. Opening the file, I scan through it quickly.

"Well, Harley does have a few abnormities, but nothing that show regenerative properties, or can be used to heal sick cells. Her T-cells are just differently shaped, and actively go after foreign bacteria found in poisons. Huh, according to this, her white cells are shaped like flower petals. Ivy must really love her."

"That's weird, And Ivy loves Harley? I thought they were just close friends." Dick asks, as he settles on the floor in a weird knot of appendages.

"From talking with them, Ivy loves Harley and wants the best for her, and Harley loves Ivy, but her thing with the Joker has her all fucked up. It's why Ivy hates the Joker, he has beaten down and destroyed Harley's self-confidence, and Ivy is working on rebuilding it. I'm sure, pretty soon, I'll be able to get them together. Just as long as Joker stays out of the picture until Harley is strong and confident again, everything will be fine for them."

"Man, the Joker is a bastard. And you want Harley and Ivy together?"

"The Joker is a manipulative bastard that deserves to rot in hell for all eternity, and having two villains together may seem like a bad idea, but would you prefer a unstable psycho couple or a stable, loving couple? Ivy brings back more Harleen, because Ivy prefers an intelligent equal, Joker wants a broken punch/play-toy."

"I get ya. So how is the rest of your work going?"

"Really well, I've worked with Harley, Ivy, and the Riddler. He's always presently surprised when I answer his riddle and ask him one back. I also bring little potted plants to Ivy, although, I'm still working on convincing her to allow me to take a blood sample."

"You're not getting a sample from Riddler?"

"No, he is 100% human, just very smart and into riddles." I take my last bite of pizza, and make to get up. Jason puts his hand out, my med in his palm. I take them, and still take my plate to the sink. I turn to make my way back to the couch, and realize that Jason had been slowly getting ready for my inevitable move into his apartment. We had taken a drunken midnight trip to Wal-Mart which ended up in me buying a giant plush chair, and Jason took it "until I had my own place". It was set up by the window, because I liked to read by natural light. My favorite coffee mug was set next to the coffee pot, with my favorite dumb expensive coffee on the shelf, here last time I came over for breakfast on a day off. In my room an alarm clock that was already set to 4 was set up, across the room from a bet made up in soft sheets with 5 more pillows than one person needs.

Jason knew I was going to move in. Cocky bastard. But, so did I, I was just trying to put it off.

Returning to the living room, Tim took my spot on the couch. A quick glare at Tim, and I settle on a pillow in front of Jason, leaning back against his knees. Dick turns on a movie, and soon the darkness, and Jason's hands running through my hair put me to sleep.

I wake up on the couch in the middle of the night to a sound in the kitchen.

"Jay?"

No response.

The time reads 2:30, and I remember that Jason worked tonight.

Another sound from the kitchen.

I roll off the couch, and down to the floor. I crawl to my phone, where I left it on the window sill. Making my way to my room, I call Jason. It goes to voicemail.

"I know you are work, but I just woke up and I hear something in the kitchen. It could be a person; it could be a rat. I don't know, I'm scared. Come straight home after work please. Or call me back as soon as you can, I'm hiding in my closet."

Hanging up the phone, I continue to crawl to my room, headed to my closet. As I open the door to my closet, my phone rings.

"Shit shit shit shit." A bang comes from the kitchen.

"I answer the phone quickly, Jason's voice coming through.

" _Tiff? Are you okay, are they still there?"_

"Yes, they are here, Jason please come home soon. I'm so scared."

" _I'm on my way, why didn't you call the police? Or Dick or Bruce?_ "

"Because I'm scared and I want you. Oh no." The door to my room opens, and the person walks in.

"Here pretty, pretty. Where are you? Come out, come out, where ever you are."

"Jason, Jason please, get here, please. I'm so scared."

" _Tiffany, I'm on my way, stay hidden, I'll be there as soon as I can._ "

Footsteps get closer, and the closet door handle starts to open.

"I'm so scared. Jason, please."

" _It's okay. I'm almost home. Fight until I get there._ "

The door rips open and a hand grabs my hair. I get wretched up, and I start screaming.

"Get off me! Leave me alone! Jason! Help! Someone!" I swing out blindly behind me, but I managed to make contact. The hand on my hair relaxes for a millisecond before tightening again. I swing again, but my arm is caught before I could make contact, and wretch behind me. I scream in pain, but at the feel of breathe on my neck, I throw my head backwards in hope of head-butting them.

My head smashes into their face, and with a groan, they release their grip enough for me to wretch myself free. Turning to face my attacker, I swing again, hoping to knock them down. They grab my fist and turn me, so my back was to them again. I hard kick to my back knocked my breathe away, and forced me onto my bed. Cold dread and fear wracked my body, and I did everything to turn over as I started screaming again, tears beginning to stream down my face. _Not again! Please not again!_

"Help! Jason! Someone! Help! No!"

The attacker pulled out a knife and I scrambled back on the bed, scrambling for something, anything, I could throw at him. He grabbed my flailing foot and dragged me towards him. I kicked wildly again, and tried to pull myself across the bed again, but he kept a tight, bruising grip on my ankle.

"Get away from me! Jason! Help!"

He managed to flip me over again, dragging me closer to him. His other hand grabbed my upper thigh, pressing me hard into the mattress, letting go of my foot. I continued to fight until I felt the cold, sharp point of a knife press into the small of my back.

"No, no, please no! Help! Jason! Someone! Help me please!"

"No one is going to help you, pretty girl. If you had just stayed asleep, I would have been in and out, but no, you woke up and called your boyfriend. Now you are going to pay."

"Please, I'll give you money, just don't! Please don't!"

The Knife continued to trail up my back, and his hand began to run up my thigh. Somehow I found myself thankful I was still wearing jeans and a sweatshirt.

"Nah, I don't want your money."

"Please! Someone help me! Jason! Jaso-!" My head gets shoved into the mattress.

"Shut up, stupid bitch!"

Hands are still moving, and I'm sobbing now, fear freezing my body. My hands just grab the sheets tightly as I pray for Jason to save me. Suddenly a sickening _crack_ is heard, and the hands are gone as my attackers body falls to the grown with a thud.

Slowly looking up, I see Jason, fire in his eyes as he stared down at the man, his chest heaving as his continues to grip a baseball bat tightly.

"Jason?" I sound weak, pathetic, broken, and his head snaps to me, and suddenly he is next to me, holding me, telling me everything was okay and he was there now. He picks me up and carries me to the living room.

"I called the police they are on their way. Let's stay at the manner tonight." I just nod, and keep my head buried in his chest.

The police arrive, Gordon just looks at me and sends Jason and I on our way. Says he'll handle it. Jason carries me to his car. I stare blankly out the window. He carries me into the manner. Alfred follows us to the room prepared for me. He sets me down on a closed toilet lid and he fills the bath, taking of the socks that still covered my feet. Barbra appeared in the doorway, and Jason gives me soft words and a kiss on the forehead, leaving to speak with Bruce.

Barbra helps me bathe, and I cry again as I see the bruises. More comforting words from her. She helps me dry and into soft pajamas. Jason is waiting in the bedroom, and he holds me on the bed.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner."

"You stopped him.'

"I'll kill him. Both of them. Anyone who hurts them."

"The other one is already dead."

"Go to sleep Tiff. I've got you."

"Don't leave."

"Never."


End file.
